A King County man accused of sex trafficking a 15-year-old girl out of his Maple Valley home pleaded not guilty on Thursday.
Tony Eldridge was arrested at his Maple Valley home after a standoff with police on Aug. 3. The investigation initially began in Bellevue after police there got a tip about a young girl at a hotel.
The 15-year-old girl Eldridge allegedly trafficked was rescued in July. She told police that she was forced to provide sex for clients at Eldridge’s home and other locations.
Eldridge is charged with human trafficking, promoting commercial sexual abuse of a minor, child rape, and three counts of promoting prostitution.
A judge set his bail at $500,000 and issued a no-contact order against him for four women.
Eldridge is a registered sex offender in Oregon and was convicted a decade ago for promoting prostitution.
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